Report: Pending UFA Gaudreau undecided on Flames' offer

Calgary Flames fans hoping for a quick contract agreement between the team and pending unrestricted free-agent star Johnny Gaudreau may have to wait a little longer.

"It is status quo in that I'm told (as of now), Johnny Gaudreau remains undecided about the offer from the Calgary Flames," TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported during Thursday's edition of "Insider Trading."

"His camp has not communicated to the Flames one way or another where this is headed at this point."

LeBrun reported earlier this month that the Flames didn't waste any time offering Gaudreau a deal. The winger recorded a career-best 40 goals and 115 points in 82 games this past season, a performance that earned him three first-place votes and a fourth-place finish in the Hart Trophy race.

He just finished a six-year deal with a $6.75-million annual cap hit and is likely in line for a major raise. Gaudreau is projected to sign a seven-year deal with an average annual value of almost $10.9 million, according to Evolving-Hockey.

The Flames have just under $27 million in projected cap space, per CapFriendly. However, forwards Andrew Mangiapane and Matthew Tkachuk are pending restricted free agents with arbitration rights, while blue-liners Nikita Zadorov and Erik Gudbranson are also pending unrestricted free agents.

Assistant general manager Craig Conroy vowed to get Gaudreau signed to an extension back in February, adding that it was a "done deal."

Gaudreau helped lift the Flames to a first-place finish atop the Pacific Division in 2021-22, but Calgary was eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in the second round of the playoffs.

Copyright (C) 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.